HMS Ganymede was a British Royal Navy ship, originally launched as the French corvette Hébé in 1808. She was captured by the Royal Navy in February 1809 and entered British service under the name Ganymede. After a brief period as an active warship she was converted into a prison hulk in 1819 and remained moored at Chatham Harbour, Kent, until being broken up in 1838.
Construction and capture
Hébé was built in Bordeaux (France) as a sixth‑rate corvette of 450 tons burthen, pierced for 34 guns but carrying 20. On 6 February 1809 she sailed from Bordeaux bound for San Domingo with a cargo of about 600 barrels of flour when she was intercepted off Lisbon by the British frigate HMS Loire, commanded by Captain Alexander Wilmot Schomberg. The French vessel, under Lieutenant Bretonneuire, surrendered after a brief engagement and was taken as a prize.[¹][²]
Royal Navy service
After her capture the ship was taken to Portsmouth Dockyard for repairs and refitting. In March 1810 plans were drawn to convert her into a 24‑gun sixth‑rate post ship. The vessel’s dimensions after British modification were:
- Length of gundeck – 126 ft 7 in (38.41 m)
- Keel length – 105 ft 5 ⅛ in (32.00 m)
- Beam – 32 ft 8 ⅞ in (9.78 m)
- Depth in hold – 10 ft 4 in (3.15 m)
- Burthen – 601 tons (bm)
She was rated as a 20‑gun sixth rate with a complement of approximately 173 officers and men.[³] Ganymede entered active service early in 1810, sailing on several convoy and patrol duties under various commanders. Records show she bore the flag of Rear Admiral Sir Charles Penrose during operations between January and March 1818. The ship was decommissioned later that year.
Prison hulk (1819–1838)
In 1819 Ganymede was fitted out as a prison hulk, a floating detention facility used for overflow prisoners and convicts awaiting transportation. She was moored in Chatham Harbour, Kent, where she remained for almost two decades. While serving as a hulk, the vessel housed a number of notable inmates, including Billy Waters, a sailor who lost his right leg during service aboard Ganymede and later became a well‑known London street entertainer.[¹]
Fate
The hulk was broken up in 1838 after nearly thirty years since her original launch. Her timbers and fittings were salvaged, marking the end of her naval career.
Legacy
HMS Ganymede illustrates the common practice of the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars of capturing enemy ships, refitting them for British use, and later converting older hulls into prison hulks. The vessel’s brief active service and longer period as a hulk reflect the shifting demands on naval assets in the early 19th century.
References
- Wikipedia entry “HMS Ganymede” – summary of capture, conversion, and prison‑hulk service.
- The Gentleman's Magazine (1809) – contemporary report of capture by HMS Loire.
- ThreeDecks.org ship record for Ganymede (ID 4420) – dimensions, armament, and fate.